Grand theft water and the calculus of compliance

Loch, Adam; Pérez-Blanco, C. Dionisio; Carmody, Emily; Felbab-Brown, Vanda; Adamson, David; Seidl, Constantin

doi:10.1038/s41893-020-0589-3

Cited by 36 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…A further factor must, unfortunately, be taken into consideration. Loch et al (2020) have recently reported that drought-induced yield losses and the lack of soil water promote water theft, particularly by agricultural users who account for 70% of total water use. Notably, these authors stated that 30% to 50% of the global water supply is stolen.…”

Section: Soil Water Deficits and Yield Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drought and crop yield

2021

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Episodes of water shortage occur in most agricultural regions of the world. Their durations and intensities increase, and their seasonal timing alters with changing climate. During the ontogenic cycle of crop plants, each development stage, such as seed germination, seedling establishment, vegetative root and shoot growth, flowering, pollination and seed and fruit development, is specifically sensitive to dehydration. Desiccation threatens yield and leads to specific patterns, depending on the type of crop plant and the harvested plant parts, e.g. leafy vegetables, tubers, tap roots or fruits. This review summarizes the effects of drought stress on crop plants and relates the dehydration-dependent yield penalty to the harvested organ and tissue. The control of shoot transpiration and the reorganization of root architecture are of core importance for maintaining proper plant water relationships. Upon dehydration, the provision and partitioning of assimilates and the uptake and distribution of nutrients define remaining growth activity. Domestication of crops by selection for high yield under high input has restricted the genetic repertoire for achieving drought stress tolerance. Introgression of suitable alleles from wild relatives into commercial cultivars might improve the ability to grow with less water. Future research activities should focus more on field studies in order to generate more realistic improvements to crops. Robotic field phenotyping should be integrated into genetic mapping for the identification of relevant traits.

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Section: Soil Water Deficits and Yield Formationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Drought and crop yield

2021

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“…Australia is presently struggling with illegal extraction of base flows, and how best to more adequately detect infringements, prosecute offenders, and recoup losses to ecological functions (Loch, Carmody, et al, 2019). The situation in Australia suggests future research should be focused on better understanding the nature of resource demand, supply, quality, and vulnerability to a range of shocks beyond climate change to enable informed policy making and investment choices.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Fifth Stage in Water Management: Policy Lessons for Water Governance

Loch

Adamson

Dumbrell

2020

Water Resources Research

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Effective management of water resources is a critical policy issue globally. Using a framework developed by Turton, and a common set of characteristics describing key stages of water demand, we examine the effectiveness of isolated technical (e.g., irrigation upgrades) and allocative (e.g., buyback) efficiency for reducing water demand to sustainable levels. We base our analysis on Australia's water reform context which offers an advanced example of applying these levers to achieve allocative and technical efficiency. The study is motivated by appreciation of the benefits from increased policy flexibility and adaptability in response to the following: potential transformations toward inflexible production systems; uncertainty associated with impacts of climate change on future water reliability; and the need for increased possible future equity between uses/users (productive/consumptive, environmental, cultural). Our results highlight that a balance between technical and allocative efficiency mechanisms is necessary, as neither is sufficient in isolation, when seeking to reduce total water use. This approach also enables a clearer representation of uncertainty in future policy choices in many global settings with respect to water demand reduction.

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“…Une certaine « tolérance sociale » est ainsi souvent observée envers les usages illégaux. Les tentatives de restreindre l'accès à la ressource génèrent des réactions de la part de populations dont la subsistance en dépend (Loch et al, 2020). Ces coûts politiques sont intimement liés aux coûts économiques, tant pour les irrigants qu'à l'échelle du territoire (Novo et al, 2015).…”

Section: -L'action Régulatrice Des Pouvoirs Publics Confrontée à La Complexité De La Ressourceunclassified